Oriented in parallel to Whitefish Lake, with views to nearby ski trails and the peaks of Glacier National Park, Montana Beach House encourages deep immersion within the landscape. Deliberately quiet to its surroundings, this lakeside retreat provides a flexible gathering place to comfortably host family and friends.
Montana Beach House
Whitefish, Montana

The home’s driveway descends a tree-lined slope to arrive at concrete and steel forms nestled into the hillside. The entry pathway is framed by the main house and garage, leading to a Dutch door made of reclaimed barnwood.
Inside, the home’s central volume evokes the hull of a boat, with exposed fir timbers intersecting a 60-foot-long skylight. A wall of east-facing windows overlooks the water, with kinetic elements that open the interior to a generous outdoor deck. Throughout, cool, gray-painted casework with custom lathed pulls provide a soft contrast to the warm reclaimed oak floors.



The main living space includes a lounge at the home’s northern edge, distinguished by a double-sided, board-formed concrete fireplace. An adjoining bar is anchored by an oval, reclaimed oak counter, while two dark steel-clad columns provide visual separation from the kitchen. An awning window opens the kitchen and bar to the outside, while the adjacent 16-foot-long glazed wall slides open, allowing activity to flow easily outdoors. A second board-formed concrete fireplace anchors the living room at the southern end of the home.

A barn door separates the more public areas from the primary suite, where floor-to-ceiling windows capture head-on views of the lake and mountains. This view continues in the primary bathroom, punctuated by vanities and mirrors that float before the glass.

Between the primary suite and guest house, a covered porch and breezeway frames views to a small, forested island and provides a protected gathering space out of the elements. A hot tub at the edge of the deck creates an additional four-seasons experience of the landscape, with a kinetic cover to expand the seating area when closed. A bunkhouse set within the hillside includes a rec room and additional suites for visiting family and friends, with a private courtyard at the ground level as well as elevated views to the lake and mountains beyond.
I had previously collaborated with this client on their city home. This time, we shifted from an urban context to a serene lakefront, creating a house that feels rooted in the traditions of lake living but with a design that is subtle enough to blend into its surroundings.Tom Kundig
FAIA, RIBA, Design Principal

One NoMad
New York City, New York
Team
-
Debbie Kennedy
Maresa Monnahan
